SNC Releases New Interactive Report on State of Sierra

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ERIC
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SNC Releases New Interactive Report on State of Sierra

Post by ERIC »

State of the Sierra Nevadas – Forest Report
November 11, 2014 By PlacerCountyOnline

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy released a report on the state of the Sierra Nevada Forests detailing the urgent need to address declining forest health in the Region.

View the interactive version of the report providing a visual story about the impacts of the current forest conditions on all of California.

This interactive map will take you on a journey through several key issues from the report allowing you to explore the information in more detail. In addition to beautiful and impactful photos, slides within the interactive map allow you to pan, zoom, and examine in finer detail some of the data used to create this report...

Read more: http://placercountyonline.com/2014/stat ... st-report/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Interactive report: http://snc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJour ... 31b2cc9992" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: SNC Releases New Interactive Report on State of Sierra

Post by dave54 »

:soapbox:

I have always had a problem with these big 'reports' that take a very complex and multifaceted issue and oversimplify it.

I have issues with the boundaries of the SNC also. The Sierra Nevada Range basically ends around Hwy 70 area (the exact boundary between the Sierra and Cascades is a matter of semantics. I prefer to think of the boundary as a transition zone). Yet the SNC boundary goes all the way to Oregon state line and includes the Great Basin. The Sierras and the Cascades are two distinct eco-regions with different soils and climate, and as a result different vegetation patterns and forest dynamics. Appropriate actions for one are totally inappropriate for the other.

The mantra of 'decades of fire suppression' is not totally accurate either. Fire history studies have shown portions of the ranges have not had a decrease in average annual burned acres, the 20th century burned at the same rate as previous centuries. Some areas have had an INCREASE in 20th century burned acreage from human caused fires. Yet this report makes the entire SNC area uniform.

Also not mentioned is the cause of the state of poor forest health. Many reasons, of course, and one of the main reasons is well intentioned but scientifically unsound environmental laws that hampers, or even prevents, good land management practices. Generally, the privately owned forest lands are in better health than the federal lands. The 'big bad timber barons' are the ones doing the best practices and have better managed forests resilient to catastrophic disturbance, better biodiversity and wildlife populations. They do not have an army of activist lawyers litigating every proposed action.

The report seems to advocate more prescribed burning. As a practical matter it is near impossible to significantly increase prescribe fire levels. The agencies and land owners are doing as much as possible now without running afoul of other environmental or tort laws. As one now-retired Fire Management Officer told me "They want me triple my prescribed fire acres. Sure I can, just repeal the Clean Air Act, Clear Water act, Endangered Species Act, and NEPA, give me an unlimited budget and immunity from any civil or criminal liability for escapes, and I could triple. As it is now, I am maxed out."
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ERIC
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Re: SNC Releases New Interactive Report on State of Sierra

Post by ERIC »

Perhaps the "Sierra" footprint is different than the "Sierras" ? :p
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Re: SNC Releases New Interactive Report on State of Sierra

Post by balzaccom »

ERIC wrote:Perhaps the "Sierra" footprint is different than the "Sierras" ? :p
Nice, Eric.

I, for one, have s problem with people who generalize about big reports....;^)
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